Academy Awards issue statement after Will Smith hits Chris Rock in Oscars 2022

The Academy Awards has taken to Twitter to state that it 'doesn't condone violence' after Will Smith hit comedian Chris Rock on stage. Smith slapped Chris Rock in the face during the Oscars on Sunday night after the comedian made a joke about his wife Jada Pinkett Smith’s hair.

Referring to Pinkett Smith’s buzzcut, Rock said: “Jada, can’t wait for GI Jane 2.” Following Rock's comment, Smith walked up on stage and appeared to hit him before returning to his seat and shouting: “Keep my wife’s name out of your ******* mouth.”

Jada has previously opened up about her struggle with hair loss and alopecia. In an episode of her Facebook chat show, Red Table Talk, she said "handfuls of hair" came loose in the shower.

Read more: Will Smith hits Chris Rock on Oscars stage after joke about wife Jada Pinkett Smith

Will Smith later went on to win the best actor award for film King Richard, the American biographical sports drama about the father and coach of famed tennis players Venus and Serena Williams. Accepting his best actor Oscar Smith apologised and said: “Richard Williams was a fierce defender of his family."

He added: “I want to apologise to the Academy, I want to apologise to all my fellow nominees." He went on to say that 'love makes you do crazy things.'

The Academy since issued a statement, posted on Twitter, which read: "The Academy does not condone violence of any form. Tonight we are delighted to celebrate our 94th Academy Awards winners, who deserve this moment of recognition from their peers and movie lovers around the world."

Back in the UK, the incident between Smith and Rock is, as expected, hitting the headlines and was a dominant topic of conversation on Monday morning's GMB with Richard Madeley and Susanna